Banana-shipping case.



G. W. HOFFMAN.

BANANA SHIPPING CASE.

APPLIoATIoN .FILED un. se, 1909 9. O 9 l N, Lw 0 m m mm DU. 0 46, ,7 3 9 Z'SHEETB-SHBET 1;

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BANANA SHIPPING OASE.

I APPLICATION II'ILED MAB.. 26, 1909. 937,606, Patented 099191909. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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BANANA-SHIPPING CASE.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

Application filed March 26, 1909. Serial No. 485,934.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WV. HOFFMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shiloh, in the county of Richland and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful lmprovenients in BananaShipping Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in banana shipping cases, and broadly arid generally speaking it comprises a crate, and an envelop arranged within and adapted to prevent the bananas from contacting with the crate.

(')ne object of my invention is to provide a banana shipping case wherein the weight of the bananas is wholly supported by the bottom of the crate, whereby to greatly reduce the strain on and to add to the life of the envelop.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a banana shipping case which is simple, durable and efficient, and which may be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost.

lilith the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a banana shipping case constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig.V Q is a sectional view taken on a plane extending vertically and centrally through the banana shipping case. F ig. 3 is a sectional view taken on a plane extending vertically and centrally through the lower portion of the case, illustrating a slight modification in the construction of the lower end of the envelop. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, illustrating a slight modification in the manner of'securing the envelop to the bottom of the crate. Fig. 5 is a sectional view illustrating on an enlarged scale the lower end of a modified form of envelop, and Eig. 6 is a similar view illustrating on an enlarged scale the lower' end of the preferred form of envelop. Fig. 7 is a sectional view illustrating a further modified manner of securing the envelop to the bottom of the crate.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, A designates the crate, and B the envelop of my improved banana shipping case.

The crate A is cylindrical and it is open at its upper and closed at its lower end. Slats the crate A may be secured in applied position in any suitable manner.

The envelop B may be constructed of any material suitable for the purpose and it is cylindrical, the diameter of the envelop being smaller than that of the crate A. The envelop B is supported within the crate A with its side wall out of contact with the slats 2 of the crate by means of a top Hexible element 6 and an intermediate flexible element 7. The top flexible element 6 is passed about the top hoop 3 and threaded through eyelets 8 secured to the envelop B, and the intermediate flexible element 7 is passed about the hoop 5 and threaded through eyelets 9 secured to the envelop, said elements preventing the envelop from contacting with the slats 2. .The lower end of the envelop B is secured to and closed by the bottom of the crate A, nails l0 or their equivalents being used to secure the lower end of the envelop to the bottom of the crate. To prevent the lower end of the envelop B from being torn by the nails 10, said lower end is formed to provide a hem l1 through which the nails pass. In lieu of the hem l1 the envelop B may be provided with an annular metallic member 12 which is located within a fold 13 formed at the lower end of the envelop. l/Vhen the envelop B is provided with the member 12, the lower end thereof is secured to the bottom of the crate A by staples 14 which straddle the member, as fully disclosed in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. The lower portions of the envelop B may be curved inwardly as at l5, in Figs. l, 2 and 3 of the drawings. As shown in Eig. 4 of the drawings, the envelop B may be straight throughout its entire length. The lower end of the envelop B may be closed and such closed end secured to the bottom of the crate A by staples 15 or their equivalents, see Fig. 7 of the drawings.

In practice a bunch of bananas is placed in the envelop B, the lower end of the stem of the bunch resting on the bottom of the crate A. After the bunch of bananas has been placed in the envelop B, the upper end of the envelop is closed in the usual manner, the same being secured closed by a flexible element V14, see Fig. 2 of the drawings, As the envelop B prevents the bananas from contacting with the crate A the case may be handled without damage to the bananas. As the bott-om of the crate A supports the entire weight of the bananas there is no downward strain on the envelop B' and the fiexible elements 6 and 7, thereby preventing damage to the envelop and the flexible elements during the handling of the crate.

It should be apparent from the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, that I provide a case which is admirably adapted for the purpose for which Aitis intended, which is simple, durable and efficient, and which may be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost.

lVhile I have described the method of operation of the invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the. claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is l. A shipping case comprising a crate having a bottom, an envelop arranged within the crate, the lower end of the envelop being reinforced and closed by the bottom of the crate, means engaging the reinforced end of the envelop and the bottom of the crate.

2. A shipping case comprising a crate having a bottom, an envelop secured within the crate, the lower end of the envelop being closed by the bottom of the crate, a member secured to the bottom of the envelop, and means engaging said member and the bottom of the crate.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. HOFFMAN.

lVitnesses Y Y W. H. MILLER, J. C. FENNER. 

